Research

There is an old Chinese proverb that says, go amongst the people, live with them learn from them, see what is there and build on what they have. The Thames estuary has a huge maritime history unequalled in the world. Yet in resource terms, do we really understand what is there and its legacy today?

The individual elements of the "Sea in the City", London's urban coastline can be studied in isolation, as individual elements species, uses, or needs, or can be thought of holistically as an entire policy. But let us use the resource itself to guide its development. If you consider a single plant, to nurture and provide the essentials for life, it requires good soil, nutrients, water, carbon dioxide and light. To provide these elements, at the correct level, guarantees good growth and potential for the future.

But in an entire ecosystem this requires cooperation and consistent management to provide utility. It is important to have strong local plans, there are the London Strategies, but these must relate to all the other policies around them. At the macro level management in isolation, is no management at all.

The RTVC will be conducting research and looking at providing a local management plan for the Richmond and the riverside in 2019.Also it will be starting a project to monitor pollution in or outside the Thames and its affect on health, so if you have any suggestions, we would be happy to hear from you.Finally we will be researching the seemingly endless problems of packaging including those convenient, but damaging, plastic bags. What should be done to re-use, reduce or repair this waste so it conforms to the definition of proper recycling. (As oposed to the reprocessing which we are convinced to do even week for the commercial benefit of Local Authorities and private companies).